Midsize Cities Held Steady as U.S. Population Growth Declined
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Midsize U.S. cities, with populations between 25,000 and 70,000, maintained steady population levels over the past year, even as national population growth slowed to one of the lowest rates in history.
- Fort Mill, South Carolina, was the fastest-growing midsize city, with a 6.8% population increase to 38,673, outpacing growth in nearby larger cities like Charlotte, North Carolina.
- The national population grew by about 1.8 million to nearly 342 million from July 2024 to July 2025, reflecting a 0.5% growth rate, the slowest since the pandemic year of 2021.
- Population growth slowed most significantly in the largest cities, particularly in the Northeast, due largely to reduced immigration and declining birthrates, with immigration declines impacting big-city growth more heavily.
- Experts note that continued immigration restrictions could further depress growth in major urban centers, as immigrants tend to settle in these larger cities.